LAWRENCE - The perfect Hollywood ending would have had Todd Reesing, Kerry Meier, Jake Sharp and 12 other Kansas seniors winning their final game in Memorial Stadium against Nebraska.

Saturday

Nov 14, 2009 at 12:01 AMNov 14, 2009 at 5:00 PM

There was a Hollywood ending Saturday afternoon all right, but it was of the heartbreaking variety.

The Jayhawks, with everything going their way in the fourth quarter, suffered another meltdown in a 31-17 loss to the Cornhuskers.

It wasn't as severe as what took place a few weeks ago in Lubbock against Texas Tech, but it was just as devastating.

After turning a 10-0 second quarter deficit into a 17-16 lead with seven minutes remaining in the game, the Jayhawks looked on the verge of giving the large crowd of 51,525 something to feel good about on their drive home.

But, the only ones feeling things Saturday evening were the 7,000 or so Nebraska fans that helped fill the stadium.

To recap, the Jayhawks failed to cover a pooch kick properly on the ensuing kickoff, giving the Cornhuskers a first down on the KU 31.

Two plays later, the Huskers were on their own 35, facing a third-and-14 play.

Enter stage left - the latest version of Heartbreak City for the Jayhawks.

The Huskers attempted a screen pass in the left flat to Khiry Cooper, which KU senior Justin Thornton sniffed out and played perfectly.

Cooper caught the ball at the KU 40 with his back to Thornton and Thornton was immediately on top of him. But, as he prepared to make the tackle, he was knocked off of Cooper and instinctively grabbed at whatever he get hold of.

Unfortunately for Thornton and the Kansas defense, what he found was Cooper's facemask.

Personal foul ... 15 yards.

"It's disappointing to get a penalty like that," said Thornton who, to his credit, was one of the first out of the KU locker room to face the media. "I was on (Cooper), got knocked off and grabbed the first I touched, which was his face mask."

And so, instead of forcing Nebraska to punt on fourth-and-19 at the Kansas 40, the Cornhuskers picked up a first down and another set of downs at the Jayhawk 20.

One play later, Roy Helu scored on a sweep around the right side, the Huskers converted the two-point conversion and scored a late touchdown to put the finishing touches to a 31-17 victory.

It was KU's fifth consecutive loss.

(Everybody raise your hand who thought Reesing and Company would not go bowling this season?)

"It has been one of the more difficult things in my life thus far. It has been tough," said Meier, the senior from Pittsburg, who fumbled the ball away inside the Nebraska 5 in the first half. "Nothing I have ever experienced in the sports aspect of life has been so tough."

Junior wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe was a little more colorful when asked about his team's recent problems.

"It sucks to have a five-game losing streak," Briscoe said.

Yes, this wasn't a good Senior Day for KU's seniors.

In addition to Thornton's penalty and Meier's fumble, Sharp dropped what looked to be a sure touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.

Ever since the 41-36 win over Iowa State on Oct. 10 - which gave them a 5-0 record and No. 15 rankings in the polls - the Jayhawks have lost to Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Kansas State and Nebraska.

Mistakes certainly killed KU's chances for victory, but the physical ones are ones head coach Mark Mangino said he can live with.

"They're trying hard; they all did," Mangino said. "I get bothers by a lack of effort, but those guys busted their butts out there. That wasn't the problem. It doesn't take talent to play hard. As long as you're giving effort, that's OK with me."

The Jayhawks have two more chances for that elusive sixth victory they need to even be considered for a bowl game. Next week, they're at Texas to face the No. 2 Longhorns and will follow that up with a game in Kansas City on Thanksgiving weekend against Missouri.

"I am a frustrated guy right now," Meier said. "I think there are a bunch of guys who are frustrated and what we've got to do is keep our heads up, stay positive and keep working."

There is no alternative.

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